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Friday, 20 July 2007

Dressing For The Job: By Darren Robbo

Whether you are an executive, an assistant, in retail or in sales, consider your clothes as business tools that can impact your performance and further your career. Always dress for the job you want and the impression you want to give.

Assess your potential work environment. If you're in a creative industry there's room for more personality in the way you dress. But creativity does not mean sexy. Sexy is inappropriate in the workplace and it is essential to make that "first impression “ count. Never let your clothes get in the way of expressing your message.

Dress codes are often changing in today's work environment.

Wardrobe Propriety

In a conservative work place, a smart suit is required but in a business appropriate environment there's more flexibility, it's more of a tailored look. The key factor remains that no matter what industry you are in it is important to dress appropriately, smartly and conservative.

Business Casual

Business casual does not mean weekend clothes. Fitting is important, quality tailored clothes are essential. Attention to details is essential, good quality shoes, good belt and good bag.

This is important even in a casual working environment, and finding a comfortable pair shoes for the workplace is essential, especially if you have a job that requires long periods of being on your feet or various meetings with clients and colleges. As any office worker knows finding the correct footwear is essential but this can be a challenge. . Business Wardrobe Organization

First assess your business wardrobe. Get into your closet. What do you have? Take all of your business clothes and hang them in a specific area of your closet, check out your selection of shoes what matches what? Plan out your day the night before.

It is as important to strategise your business wardrobe, as it is to strategise a good interview and business presentation. The biggest mistake you can make is not taking your business wardrobe seriously. Consider yourself the brand and your clothes the packaging.

Look at your clothes. Think about what impression you want to give, what you're going to be doing and who you are going to meet the next day. Pull out an outfit and try it on to see if it still fits, it may have been a while since you last wore it.

This kind of preparation will help you to be prepared at all times, to look your best and perform adequately on the job no matter what the circumstances are.

One of the many ways, and probably the most effective that we choose to express ourselves is through the colour and style of our clothing. This expression is intended to make the maximum, and most powerful impact as possible.

Our clothing selection and choice of shoes do not simply cover the body and protect us from the elements, they make a visual statement and advertisement abut how we view ourselves. Clothes reinforce our self-image and help to define who we are.

They can boost our confidence when we look good, but when we get it wrong they can sap that confidence just as quickly.